Blue As I Can Be - Blu & Exile.mp3

[00:20.625] The Los Angeles city skyline is like a photograph of my mind
[00:23.925] I could feel the sea's breeze every time that I rhyme
[00:26.865] Cool guy, coulda played trumpet in a suit and tie
[00:29.457] Barbers couldn't cut us, move a line so it's U-N-I-versal
[00:32.951] First song I ever recorded
[00:34.468] Felt important, I had to paint my portrait enormous
[00:37.224] Clouds forming, the sun falls and darkness rises
[00:39.649] Yo it's like this every time I close my eyelids
[00:42.330] Bro I grew up in the city of violence, was known for the riots
[00:46.190] And now that I'm grown, I stay blown all alone
[00:47.884] Was thinking bout those who didn't make it
[00:50.597] In my zone dreaming bout how far we could take it
[00:53.185] From the basement, I never been one to run from
[00:55.987] Guns sung every night where I come from, the blood runs (B-L)
[00:59.415] Never fail, you can tell hell
[01:01.234] I would never sell out, even if I'm on sale, retail
[01:03.986] Presales, you can see God in the details
[01:06.680] Midnight Blue, Kenny Burrell shocked the world like the [?] got
[01:10.134] Caught in the third rail, burn Ls
[01:12.155] Thinkin bout my daughter's future walking outta jail, so thorough
[01:14.712] Even as a kid, I wanted to be big
[01:17.265] Like Jigga, "Can I Live?," ten siblings need a crib
[01:19.787] Like the ones on Cribs, niggas facing long bids
[01:22.393] Tryna make it where I live, real talk it's common sense, I'm
[01:46.477] I fell onto the planet, knowledge, born building understanding
[01:49.145] Dropping poems on the illest canvas
[01:51.325] South Central, Los Angeles, where niggas hold pistols and start scandals
[01:54.601] I picked up a pencil and wrote anthems, my city mold champions
[01:57.966] Talent show battling, managing life challenging
[02:00.616] And I would write traveling unraveling thoughts
[02:03.134] Pass the mic before I pass you the blunt
[02:04.937] Smash the stage then I pass up the cost, acting a fool
[02:07.673] Rapping was cool, sorta something we could actually do
[02:09.915] Mastered my views, get my cash stacking after my dues
[02:12.653] Classic tunes, platinum plaques back-to-back with my crew
[02:15.335] Black and blue, back to rocking black on black at the show
[02:18.090] Pack up the show, black the block, we gotta block out the news
[02:20.603] Blackout at shows, no Glock, black proud and I'm Blu
[02:23.555] I used to sing James Brown, I used to talk through towns
[02:26.068] Tearing down egos, rocking gold, wearing a crown
[02:28.729] Airing our style, all hail to the king, hair grew out wild long time ago
[02:32.721] Ten years exactly, where are they now?
[02:34.739] I've been B-L, back when they was clapping at fools
[02:36.931] After school for acting cool, I just had a backpack full of raps
[02:40.166] Avenue Blu is finna battle and spit
[02:42.129] 45 Calliber, raps that'll dismantle you, my album's done, I'm back
[02:45.798] Told the homie, "Don't bang, just hang with me"
[02:47.745] Cribmania, the whole gang was me, it's so gangsta to be
[03:33.876] Yeah, just when I thought I was blanking out, I blanked out
[03:36.728] Back in the day, I used to dream about banking out, and I'm banked out
[03:40.444] With change, change
[03:42.586] Make cent, pay dues now pay rent
[03:45.257] Same shoes I work in, I church in
[03:47.395] Service, the shirt fits, the roof over my head, the bed under my ass
[03:51.605] I hear rumbling, put my ear to the wall
[03:53.940] Nothing but jazz, grandad musta had that on blast, oh here they come again
[03:57.881] James Brown put eight drummers in his band
[04:00.837] The promoter put 200 in my hand, I'm a mad man
[04:03.630] Track under the rap just to match to the gash can
[04:06.494] Last dance, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Philly Joe
[04:09.737] **** that, brought it back, Max Roach
[04:11.881] Wack hoes got smoked quicker than the last roach
[04:14.601] Bad joke, we pack boats when black folks had a chance
[04:17.749] **** slavery, we build pyramids with a helping hand
[04:20.652] Made a classic with this rap shit, ain't look back since
[04:23.536] Build a black fence around my mansion, I'm a black man
[04:26.273] Black hand, black fists clenched, activist
[04:29.344] Black Panther Party bigger pistol packing wrapping Christmas gifts
[04:32.564] I'm gifted rapper, if you can get it grabbing grams
[04:34.497] Grip it on another level take a stand
[04:37.286] Hate the hate and shake the salt
[04:38.523] Break the vault and quake the asphalt
[04:40.370] But I spark the bark until I'm retarded